Many think the George Washington Masonic Memorial is one of the most important memorials we have in the United States of America. Locals call the monument the Masonic Temple or more rarely the Alexandria Lighthouse. The building is located near the King St. Metro.

George Washington was more then just the first president of the United States, he was a man who promoted righteous virtues, a willing nature to fight for his beliefs. As one of our founding fathers, George Washington built this country with his vision of what America should strive to be.

The George Washington Masonic Memorial is a tribute to George Washington the man and the mason. Thus, the building reflects the democratic principles of George Washington by referencing the architectural style of ancient Rome and Greece. The edifice appears as a lighthouse, mimicking the architecture of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. And high atop Shooter's Hill it dominates the Alexandria Skyline. But inside the building are many interesting rooms and site.

There are nine different floors in the edifice, each offering something different to the public. The first floor is the Grand Masonic Hall which can be used for lectures and meetings. The entire tower is supported by 8 granite Doric columns.

Also located on the first floor is the Shrine Exhibit. The Shriners of North America is an international fraternity which supports the Shriners Hospital for Children. The Shriners core beliefs are brotherly love, truth, relief, and fun. With over 375,000 members world wide, the Shriners have made a tremendous positive impact in children's lives for many years. The Shrine exhibit dates back to 1876 and depicts Presidents of the Shrine fraternity, 191 Shrine Temples, and one wall in the room symbolizes the pilgrimage to Mecca and the Shriners striving for perfection.

The "Shriners Hospital for Children" Room commemorates the work of Shriners every where in support of the Shriner Hospital for Children. In this room, there is a large white statue of a Shriner holding a little girl in the left arm and holding her crutches in the right hand. This room also houses an animated model of the Shriner parade.

The Independent Square Room, also on the first floor, contains a replica of Independence Square which is located at the Philadelphia Shriners Hospital.

The building's first floor is home to the George Washington Memorial Theater. This grand theater provides a wonderful setting for cultural events and still includes and original painting of George Washington painted by Hattie Elizabeth Burdette over looking the center of the stage.

Among other things, the second floor is home to the Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 and home of Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 120. (I've actually visited both of these lodges as I am a member of the nearby Pride of Fairfax No. 298.) The Replica Lodge Room is a replica in every detail from 1802, paintings, furniture, and so on. There is also Washington's bedchamber clock which is set at the time 10:20pm, Dec. 14th, 1799, the precise time of his death.

On the second floor, the Memorial Hall features a large bronze statue of Washington, a mural on the north wall shows George Washington and his troops at Christ Church in Philadelphia. On the south wall is another mural dating to September 18th 1793, laying the cornerstone of the United States Capitol.

The third floor has the Grotto Exhibit---a social organization of Master Masons. The initials M.O.V.P.E.R. (The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm) are displayed over a single chair.

The fourth floor has the George Washington Museum which displays, paintings, relics, prints, and historical documents. Another impressive statue of Washington towers in the museum.

The fifth floor takes us to the Royal Arch Exhibit which includes a painting by Allyn Cox of ruins of Kings Solomon's Temple. Also, a reproduction of the Ark of the Covenant.

The higher the floor, the smaller the floor, so the higher floors contain less attractions. This is very noticeable on the highest floors. On the sixth floor is the Memorial Library, available only by appointment. It contains over 20,000 volumes Masonic works.

The seventh floor which contains several murals depicting Masonic lessons based on the Old Testament. (A detail from one of these murals is shown here.) The eigth floor is home to the Knights Templar Chapel which allows people to reflect and pray.

The ninth floor has the Tall Cedars Exhibit. This includes a model of King Solomon's throne and temple. This level overlooks the city of Old Town Alexandria in a spectacular fashion. The observation deck provides a 360 degree view of Alexandria.

The George Washington Masonic Memorial provides the public with a rich history of George Washington, and gives a window to view his life through. Anyone who ever plans to visit Alexandria must see this interesting memorial.

The Carlyle District and homes in Old Town enjoy spectacular views of the Memorial as do some of the residences at Jefferson Manor, the Midtowns, Hunting Creek Club, the Huntington Club and Montebello. For help finding a home in this area at any price, contact Will Nesbitt of Condo 1 Alexandria.